The Future of Advertising Jobs? Go Digital.

If you're in the business of advertising, or studying to get in, you've probably heard about the recent layoffs by BBDO and Ogilvy. I was just giving a passive sigh of relief over my own feeling of security here in Chicago when it became a bit more real.
My friend from BBDO Detroit called. He lost his job in the layoffs.
Suddenly the picture changed from an anonymous crowd to real people like my friend, pulled into boardrooms where it was explained how unemployment would work and how long they would maintain their benefits. All this as they averted eye contact, trying to hold it together. Where do they go from here?
What does this mean for the future of advertising? We all know the ad world is shifting. This is causing a shift in talent needs. I work in interactive and we can't even find enough qualified people. So this may seem like a somewhat shallow answer to a bigger problem, but here's my advice. If you still have time, start exploring the digital world. Listen to podcasts, read blogs, experiment and explore on your own time, talk to people, start twittering (I actually first learned about the layoffs through Twitter - thanks Chris Penn).
I'm always amazed at how much I learn simply by loading up my iPod in the morning for my daily commute. If you need help getting started, try these: